IIB 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2914 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2020 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs 

AN ACT 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for families 

affected by major disasters, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Housing Survivors of 

3 Major Disasters Act of 2020’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this Act: 

6 (1) FEMA.—The term ‘‘FEMA’’ means the 

7 Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

8 (2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis9 trator’’ means the Administrator of FEMA. 

10 SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF DISASTER ASSIST11 ANCE. 

12 (a) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—Notwithstanding any 

13 other provision of law, individuals and households de14 scribed in subsection (c) may be eligible for assistance 

15 made available under section 408 of the Robert T. Staf16 ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 

17 U.S.C. 5174) in connection with a major disaster declared 

18 by the President under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 

19 5170), including Hurricane Maria of 2017. 

20 (b) USE OF FUNDS.—Any assistance provided pursu21 ant to subsection (a) may include costs relating to obtain22 ing title for a property described in subsection (c)(1), in23 cluding the cost of land surveys and any other taxes or 

24 fees associated with obtaining the title for such property. 

25 (c) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS OR HOUSEHOLDS.—With 

26 respect to a major disaster declared by the President 


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1 under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re2 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), an 

3 individual or household described in this subsection is an 

4 individual or household who— 

5 (1) is residing on a property located in the area 

6 for which the major disaster was declared but does 

7 not have documented ownership rights to such prop8 erty and is not renting such property; or 

9 (2) is or was residing in an area for which a 

10 major disaster has been declared by the President 

11 under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

12 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

13 5170), during the designated incident period, includ14 ing residing in any housing accommodation or prop15 erty upon which a housing accommodation is lo16 cated, including any living quarters, boardinghouse, 

17 bunkhouse, manufactured home, mobile home, or 

18 travel trailer. 

19 (d) EVIDENCE.— 

20 (1) CONSIDERATION.—In making a determina21 tion to provide assistance pursuant to this Act, the 

22 Administrator shall consider a wide range of evi23 dence. 

24 (2) ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF EVIDENCE.—In 

25 determining if an individual or household is eligible 


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1 for assistance pursuant to this Act, the Adminis2 trator shall accept either a declarative statement or 

3 the presentation of at least one item of alternative 

4 evidence, including the following: 

5 (A) A utility (including gas, electric, sewer, 

6 or water) bill with the name and address of the 

7 individual. 

8 (B) A merchant’s statement (including a 

9 credit card, delivery notice, or first class mail) 

10 with the name and address of the individual. 

11 (C) A pay stub from an employer with the 

12 name and address of the individual. 

13 (D) A current driver’s license or State14 issued identification card of the individual. 

15 (E) The deed or title for the applicable 

16 property. 

17 (F) A mortgage payment booklet or an18 other mortgage document. 

19 (G) Property title of mobile home certifi20 cate of title. 

21 (H) A real estate property tax receipt. 

22 (I) A school registration containing the ad23 dress of self, child, or children. 

24 (J) A will and testament with the name 

25 and address of the individual. 


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1 (K) In a State that does not require a will 

2 and testament for the transfer of immovable 

3 property, a death certificate and birth certifi4 cate that establishes an automatic transfer of 

5 legal ownership. 

6 (L) Medical records that list the name and 

7 address of the individual. 

8 (M) A charitable donation receipt that list 

9 the name and address of the individual. 

10 (N) Any other documentation, certification, 

11 identification, or proof of occupancy or owner12 ship not included on this list that can reason13 ably link the individual requesting assistance to 

14 the applicable property. 

15 (e) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall apply to 

16 funds appropriated on or after the date of enactment of 

17 this Act. 

18 SEC. 4. DECLARATIVE STATEMENT. 

19 (a) DEVELOPMENT OF DECLARATIVE STATEMENT.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 

21 the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 

22 shall create, in coordination with the appropriate au23 thorities of the applicable jurisdiction, and dis24 tribute, where necessary, a declarative statement 

25 form that an applicant for assistance provided purVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:18 Nov 19, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2914.RFS H2914

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1 suant to section 3 may use to self-certify such appli2 cant’s eligibility for assistance pursuant to this Act. 

3 (2) PROHIBITION OF NOTARIZATION.—The Ad4 ministrator may not require the declarative state5 ment form created under paragraph (1) to require 

6 notarization by the applicant. 

7 (b) EXEMPTIONS.—A declarative statement form cre8 ated under subsection (a)(1) is exempt from publication 

9 notice, public comment periods, and agency information 

10 collection review and approval by the Office of Manage11 ment and Budget required by the Paperwork Reduction 

12 Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

13 (c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 30 days after the 

14 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall pro15 vide written notification and guidance to employees of 

16 FEMA regarding the requirements of this Act. 

17 (d) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 days after the 

18 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall— 

19 (1) make the declarative statement form cre20 ated under subsection (a)(1) available in Spanish 

21 and English at all active Disaster Recovery Centers; 

22 and 

23 (2) publish in English, Spanish, and any other 

24 locally predominant languages on the website of 

25 FEMA and on social media the declarative stateVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:18 Nov 19, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2914.RFS H2914

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1 ment form and instructions on how applicants can 

2 reopen or seek further appeal of relevant determina3 tions. 

4 (e) PAST DISASTERS.—For applicants of assistance 

5 provided pursuant to section 3 since January 1, 2017, the 

6 Administrator shall provide an applicant not fewer than 

7 180 days to submit the declarative statement form to re8 open or appeal a case after such applicant has received 

9 notice of the right to do so. 

10 SEC. 5. REPAIR AND REBUILDING. 

11 Section 408(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re12 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) is 

13 amended— 

14 (1) in paragraph (2)(A)(i) by striking ‘‘to a 

15 safe and sanitary living or functioning condition’’ 

16 and inserting ‘‘to ensure that such residences are 

17 habitable during longer term recovery (including 

18 through coordination with other sources for repair 

19 and rebuilding of such residences)’’; and 

20 (2) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘in cases in 

21 which’’ and all that follows through the end and in22 serting ‘‘if the President determines such assistance 

23 is a cost effective alternative to other housing solu24 tions, including the costs associated with temporary 

25 housing provided under this section.’’. 


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1 SEC. 6. POST-DISASTER HOUSING ASSISTANCE ANALYSIS 

2 AND REPORT. 

3 (a) ANALYSIS.—The Administrator, in coordination 

4 with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 

5 shall conduct an analysis comparing the costs, benefits, 

6 and effectiveness of assistance provided under the Disaster 

7 Housing Assistance Program, including any case manage8 ment services provided, with other temporary housing op9 tions provided by the Administrator under the Robert T. 

10 Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 

11 (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 

12 (b) PROVISION OF DATA.—The Secretary shall en13 sure that public housing authorities engaged in carrying 

14 out the Disaster Housing Assistance Program relay data 

15 concerning the extent and effectiveness of case manage16 ment services in transitioning individuals and households 

17 toward self-sufficiency under the Program compared to 

18 other alternative disaster assistance programs available 

19 under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer20 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 

21 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

22 of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 

23 to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

24 of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

25 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Sen26 ate a report that contains the analysis required under subVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:18 Nov 19, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2914.RFS H2914

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1 section (a) and an analysis of the oversight mechanisms, 

2 program integrity checks, and financial management 

3 measures utilized in carrying out the Program compared 

4 to alternative disaster housing assistance programs under 

5 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As6 sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 

7 SEC. 7. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

8 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

9 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

10 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

11 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

12 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

13 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro14 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

15 vote on passage. 

Passed the House of Representatives November 17, 

2020. 

Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 

Clerk. 


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